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Albuquerque, NM Tornado History — 25 Tornadoes Since 1950

New Mexico · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Albuquerque, NM had?

Albuquerque has had 25 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.

When was the most recent tornado near Albuquerque?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Albuquerque was an Unrated on August 19, 2025.

When is tornado season in Albuquerque?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Albuquerque, with 7 on record. April through June account for 11 of the 25 tornadoes on record near Albuquerque.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
25
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
0
0.0% of total
Peak Month
May
7 on record
Per Year Avg
0.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Albuquerque

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 8 total, averaging 0.4 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 3
2024 0
2023 1
2022 0
2021 2
2020 1
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 1
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Albuquerque since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary June 25, 2026
1 W Los Lunas, Valencia County, NM
[Landspout] Video shows a debris cloud with flashing power lines. (ABQ)

Within 25 miles of Albuquerque. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Albuquerque

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Albuquerque and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 30, 2025 and the most recent on August 19, 2025. They are already counted in the Albuquerque totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

August 19, 2025
2 SE Sandia Pueblo, Sandoval County, NM
[Landspout] Video shared by broadcast media of a landspout near the Bernalillo/Sandoval county line. (ABQ)
July 30, 2025
2 NW South Valley, Bernalillo County, NM
[Landspout] Social media video shows landspout just north of Rio Bravo Blvd. Time and location estimated based on video and radar. (ABQ)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 2
1970s 2
1980s 5
1990s 3
2000s 1
2010s 1
2020s 7

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 18
EF1 2
EF2 1
Unrated 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 1
Feb 0
Mar 1
Apr 2
May 7
Jun 2
Jul 3
Aug 5
Sep 2
Oct 2
Nov 0
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Albuquerque

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Albuquerque since 1950, across 1 event. 8 injuries have been reported across all events. 1974 was the deadliest year on record near Albuquerque.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on October 10, 1974, which caused 1 fatality along a 2.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Albuquerque

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on October 10, 1974 — 1 fatality, 2.0 mi path, 100 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F1 on September 13, 1988 — est. ~$275K (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on October 10, 1974 — 100 yards wide.
Longest Path
F0 on May 25, 1956 — 15.8 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on August 19, 2025.

What the record shows near Albuquerque

The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Albuquerque, with 7 of the 25 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Albuquerque record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Albuquerque, 20 reached EF0 or EF1 and 1 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Albuquerque is rated EF2, of which 1 is logged. A further 4 near Albuquerque are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Albuquerque has averaged 0.4 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 8 in total. 2025 was the busiest of them with 3, and 15 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Albuquerque, NM had?
Since 1950, 25 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Albuquerque. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Albuquerque?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Albuquerque was an F2 on October 10, 1974, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Albuquerque?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Albuquerque, with 7 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Albuquerque?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Albuquerque was an Unrated on August 19, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Albuquerque?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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